IT is a sad state of affairs that around £300,000 has had to be spent on specially-made, reinforced hospital beds for the obese since 2009.

Obesity, we all know, is a growing problem – literally – and the ECHO’s story about the amount being spent on these superstrong beds follows the news that two “supercentres” at Aintree and Chester are set to perform nearly 1,000 surgeries a year on the overweight.

As obesity tsar Professor David Kerrigan says, the scale of the challenge society is facing is “staggering”.

In the short term, we obviously have to look after patients who are in dire need of surgery to help protect their health.

But, as a region and as a nation, we must also urgently look at the long-term – and start asking ourselves some serious and searching questions.

There needs to be a full and frank debate about why there is an obesity epidemic. Why are so many people eating the wrong foods? And why are so many people doing so little – or no – exercise?

Whatever the reasons for adopting the lifestyles that we do and however much we may naturally look to the government and the National Health Service for answers, we have to take personal responsibility for our day-to-day actions and the choices we make.

Parents, especially, have a crucial role to play. It is imperative that we bring up our children to be as healthy as possible.

This means encouraging them to eat a balanced and nutritious diet – and encouraging them to exercise and play sport.

For too many years we stored up problems for the future – and now we are seeing the depressing results. The fight back has to start now.